Hai Riyo

Called the dragon bird, the hai riyo is a gigantic bird, bigger even than a roc, topped by the whiskered head of an eastern dragon. Its feathers gleam like copper scales and are far tougher than ordinary plumage, hence its AC 3. It nests in the island realms of the far east.

In a round it may slash with both talons, 2-20 hp damage apiece, or bite with its dragon jaws for 3-30. A natural attack roll of 18+ lets it gulp down a creature of size L or smaller, and the swallowed victim suffers 1d6 hp damage from stomach fluids. Three times a day it can exhale scalding steam in a cone 200 feet long, 20 feet wide at its mouth and 100 feet wide at the far end, dealing 10d10 hp damage to all inside.

Though clumsy in the air, it flies superbly, patrolling as high as 5,000 feet and picking out prey with keen eyes before diving silently; victims suffer a +4 penalty on surprise rolls. Its near-elemental bond with air shields it completely from wind and air attacks, from a gust of wind spell to a typhoon dragon's divine wind, on top of 15% magic resistance.

Dragon birds live alone, pairing only to guard nest and young. Their appetite keeps nests at least 50 miles apart even in the richest hunting grounds. A nest has a 20% chance of 1d4 eggs, each worth 6,000 gp to dealers in exotic goods, and parents defend them to the death with +2 to morale and attack rolls. Young mature in 6 months and leave in mid-autumn. Any treasure, usually large items such as fine carpets, lies scattered around the nest.

One hai riyo can strip game from all but the largest regions, preferring the biggest prey available, young gargantua included, and it attacks villages and livestock just as readily. It is essentially a flying gargantua, and stopping one takes a monster of similar size or a whole army, which is difficult when the foe is airborne.

Its feathers serve in metallic wings of flying, brooms of flying and feather tokens, and make excellent enchanted scale mail. Scribes use its blood in ink for divine wind and gust of wind scrolls. Fox spirits harass dragon birds constantly, stealing treasure and attacking the young, and the two species are at open war; given a choice, a hai riyo always attacks fox spirits first.